Cho Oyu Ascent Wins Fourth Piolet d'Or Asia

Denis Urubko and the southeast face of Cho Oyu. Initial reports suggest that Urubko and partner Boris Dedeshko won the 2009 Piolet d'Or Asia for their single-push, alpine-style ascent of the face in May. [Photo] Courtesy mounteverest.net

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This May, Denis Urubko and Boris Dedeshko made an unprecedented alpine-style ascent of Cho Oyu's southeast face. This November, the pair received the fourth Piolet d'Or Asia award for their climb.

"For his last (14th) 8000er, Urubko originally planned a speed ascent on Cho Oyu's normal route," said a report on mounteverest.net. "When Chinese politics closed the mountain, Denis decided to attempt Cho Oyu not from China—but from Nepal—via the South-East Face."

awards are what they are, but no one cant say this was not a great route to finish off the quest for all 14 summits over 8000 meters. The style Urubko climbed this line in is just a big finger to all peak bagging lunatics out there jugging fixed ropes.